African Elephant
The African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) reaches shoulder heights of over 3 meters and weights up to 6,000 kg. As a keystone species, it shapes entire ecosystems; its population is threatened by poaching and habitat loss.
biology.mammals
Metrics
Scientific Name
Blumenbach, 1797. Separated by IUCN as a distinct species from L. cyclotis (forest elephant) since 2021.
Shoulder Height
Largest documented specimen: 3.96 m shoulder height.
Mass
Largest documented specimen: estimated 10,400 kg.
Lifespan
Up to 70 years in the wild, over 80 years documented in captivity.
Relations
The African elephant is the largest land animal, but a blue whale weighs about 25 times more.
Factor: 25 × · Direction: A_lt_B
Explanations
The African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest land-living animal, with a shoulder height exceeding 3 metres and a weight of up to 6000 kg. These giants are keystone species, meaning they shape entire ecosystems around them – where they roam, they transform the landscape. However, their populations are under threat: the IUCN classifies them as «Endangered», primarily due to poaching and habitat loss across their range in savannas, grasslands, woodlands, and semi-arid regions.
Sources
Endangered (2021). Erste getrennte Bewertung von Savannen- und Waldelefant.
Umfassende Artbeschreibung der University of Michigan.
Related Cards
Provenance
Status
seed
Review
none
Last Updated
2026-02-17